1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical system and a surgical operation method for performing a surgical operation using an ultrasound coagulating and dissection device and a high-frequency cautery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasound coagulating and dissection devices (ultrasound drive devices) which enable dissection treatment to be performed while coagulating living biological tissue or an organ under surgery by using ultrasound energy and high-frequency cauteries (high-frequency output devices or electrosurgical scalpels) which pass high-frequency energy through living biological tissue or an organ to perform cauterization are widely used in surgery in these years.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-225462 discloses a surgical system in which an ultrasound coagulating and dissection device and an electrosurgical scalpel are used at the same time.
According to the example of the related art, an ultrasound transducer is contained in a pair of electrodes of a bipolar treatment instrument that performs treatment using a high-frequency electric power (high-frequency output). The ultrasound transducer is driven by a control circuit.
The control circuit includes a driving unit that drives the ultrasound transducer to produce ultrasound, an amplitude detection section for detecting an amplitude of ultrasound vibration) a signal processor performing amplification and processing of a signal the amplitude of which is detected by the amplitude detection section, and a main controller controlling the entire system.
When the electrosurgical scalpel is used to perform treatment such as coagulation hemostasis of living biological tissue, the main controller automatically controls turning on and off of high-frequency output in accordance with an acoustic impedance of the living biological tissue caused in the process of cauterization of the living biological tissue between the pair of electrodes of the bipolar treatment instrument.
The acoustic impedance is detected from the amplitude of ultrasound from the ultrasound transducer and is compared with a threshold to automatically control turning on and off of high-frequency power.
The example of the related art also describes the following operation.
When the electrosurgical scalpel is used to perform treatment such as coagulation hemostasis of living biological tissue, a cauterized region is hardened and the acoustic impedance of the region increases during the process of cauterization of the living biological tissue between the electrode pair of the bipolar treatment instrument.
On the other hand, immediately before the start of cauterization, the acoustic impedance of the living biological tissue is low. Therefore, the acoustic impedance is detected from the amplitude of ultrasound from the ultrasound transducer and is compared with the threshold to automatically control turning on and off of high-frequency power.
It is also described that the treatment is performed safely and reliably by automatically controlling turning on and off of high-frequency power while the state of cauterization (of the living biological tissue under treatment) is being acoustically monitored, rather than relying on the visibility of visual checking of the living biological tissue (body region) under treatment.